Tag Archives: Challenge

I used to fancy myself a poet, once upon a time. However, I never had much love for haikus. These syllable based poems used to drive me crazy, as they were, in my mind, too structured and forced to be short to be of much use in expressing myself. However, the newest weekly challenge has set a new goal for me… overcome this hatred for the 17 syllable haiku, and bust out five of them. Ready for my first haikus? Here they are…

Creamy mild flavor,

Fun to play with when eating

swiss cheese is so good!

(HA! Take that, G.K. Chesterton)

Cold air bites my skin

Visable breath in small puffs

November is here

Laundry all around,

Dishes need to get done too

So many chores to do

Bills are owed, need paid,

Rent is due, car payment, too

Off to work I go.

Kids aren’t babies now,

But not grown to teenager.

Slow down and enjoy!

Nope, still not fond of haikus, but glad I gave it a shot. I know there’s two weekly challenges written by me. The earlier post is from last week’s challenge, but I didn’t notice that before I wrote it, so you get two today. Enjoy.

Hi! Did you miss me? I’ve been gone a long while… had to move and such, ya know, Coast Guard Life and all. Anyways, this post is a little challenging because it involves me declaring what makes me happy. The problem with this is figuring out what it is exactly that makes me feel great. In general, I really like pictures, so pictures make me happy… but lets see if I can dig out a few that make me feel that seemingly elusive feeling.

Like this:

This one is actually kinda tough for me. My mood changes on a moment’s notice, in fact, over the last couple of hours I could easily pick a few songs to match my mood. There’s generally a couple of songs that I end up coming back to time and again, so I’ll list these as my “general moods”. Also, while the versions in my iPod are not edited, I’m playing safe here and listing clean versions of the songs, so enjoy.

Affirmation – Savage Garden

Perfect – P!nk

The First of the Year – Skrillex (This one is a bit different, it’s dubstep, I hear it a lot at work, and the video is interesting, but perhaps a bit intense for small kiddos, though still clean)

Oh man, my parents? Well… Lets see… I wasn’t born to my dad, but… I might as well have been. He’s the only dad I’ve ever known, and he’s the only dad I WANT to know. He is (as of 1997) the dad listed on my birth certificate and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way, so with that out of the way, let’s tell you about them. We’ll actually start with my mom.

Lee Ann (Panzica) Choate

She was born on October 3rd, 1954. She spent a good chunk of her life in southern California. Her family was not a wealthy one, and maybe a little complicated in some ways. Her family tree is impossibly difficult, and I’ll be sure to post about it someday in hopes that I can find an answer. Besides all that I know my mom worked in the nutrition field for a hospital, I know she has a real knack for mechanical work, I know she’s been in the mobile home selling business, I know she’s been a bartender, and a bar manager. I know she raised four kids, and she somehow has a little bit of sanity left. Most people will know my mom for her ability to create stuff, particularly cool looking stuff, sometimes out of other stuff, sometimes out of what seems like nothing at all. She once helped me make a DNA strand out of pipe cleaners and some sort of paste. She made my dad his wooden chiefs book out of a block of wood with a dremel tool. She used to watch a lot of Bob Ross and made realistic paintings of happy tress, too.

Mom and I

My mom taught me a lot of things, quite a few of them I refused to admit I’d learned. She taught me to live thriftly, though I often will choose not to, she taught me to figure things out, she taught me acceptance, fairness, and love. She also taught me that I should stand up for myself, that I cannot nor should not try to save the entire world, and that sometimes, all someone needs is a good friend. She taught me how to do chores (again, I like to pretend I can’t keep a house to save my life) and she taught me to forgive. My mom can be quite a pain when it comes to getting a hold of her, and she suffers from depression that can really kick her butt, but all in all I know my mom did the best she could at being my mom and despite a whole lot of difficult times she came across, she never smothered me, never wronged me, and never stayed mad at me for more than an hour.

Robert Franklin Choate

My Dad, Sisters, and I

My dad was born December 26th 1962. His life was spent growing up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I know less about my dad’s family growing up then my mom’s, but I hear driving on frozen lakes is good fun and I know that a Krolls Burger is worth 50 bucks to overnight to someone. My dad served active duty in the US Navy for more than 20 years. I was there when he retired, and I am proud of him for his service. He was a boatswain’s mate. He retired as a Senior Chief. My dad got to go to some really cool countries and he always brought back some really nifty things for us kids. I know I’ve had a kimono, a porcolin doll from Japan, a big rice hat from china, a silver plate from Singapore, a boomerang and kangaroo crossing sign from Australia, and other odds and ends.

Dad, Sarah and I

My dad’s hobbies were and still are fixing odds and ends in the house, taking care of the dog, and shouting rather loudly at the TV when the Green Bay Packers aren’t playing as well as he thinks they should. My dad also enjoys a good BBQ, a large bonfire, and Mafia Wars. Growing up, I always thought my dad was really hard on me. He’d celebrate when I brought home A’s but would be disappointed if I didn’t. He expected me to be extremely punctual, polite, and active. If it was sunny, we were told to get outside. If we were late, we were grounded. He taught me to push myself, to quit saying I’m sorry all the time, to drive a car, to change a tire, to mow the lawn, and how to string together more strands of Christmas lights than should be possible. He took me camping, fishing, to softball games, and firework shows. He did and still does have a short temper but he also loves all of us like crazy.

Over the many years I’ve gone from thinking my parents were the smartest and most capable beings in the world, to resenting them, to hating them, to missing them, to wishing they were living nearby. I have ups and downs with them, but I know they gave me every opportunity, I know they taught me the best they could, and I know they will not let me fail. Now that I have my own two kids I realize how hard they worked, what a pain in the ass I must have been, and how their imperfections really aren’t so imperfect.

So here’s a cheers to my mom and dad, I’m still alive, and I’m surviving, and it couldn’t be that way without you.

Oh dear I’m almost afraid to post this… I can talk about most things that I have said or done, but this one always makes me cringe. Most people who’ve known me while growing up already know who this was and how it went, but for the rest of you out there… my first love was this kid, in the picture, wearing the white shirt, with the long hair:

From Left to right: Me, Donald, Annie, Mark, and Tracy

Mark Montgomery

Why this guy? Honestly, I couldn’t tell ya. He was a mean little thing when others were around, but when it was just him and I? He’d be so sweet. My first date was with Mark, Annie, and Joel to see 007: Tomorrow Never Dies… if you can call it a date. I was 12. My mom dropped us off and picked us up. Can you see why this story is cringe worthy?

Anyways, as time went on we were together and then not, and then were. It seemed like every time I was over it and trying to move on he’d drag my ass right back to him. He used to tease me every single morning at the bus stop before school, one day I got mad and shook up and soda and hucked it at his feet, and I swear if looks could kill he’d have stabbed me one hundred times over.

But this is the same boy who’d take walks in the rain, who would sit and talk for hours about the harder things he faced, who came to me when he needed help and stood up for me when I needed him to. This is also the same boy who disappointed me time and again and who would pretend I wasn’t around until he needed something from me. The same boy who’d write me love letters and draw pictures of cartoon characters for me, and the same boy who made me cry over and over.

I wonder if Annie remembers the summer he suddenly grew up, geez he grew into a handsome man.

I saw Mark again after I’d gotten married, after Hayden was born. Mark asked me why I hadn’t stuck around, why hadn’t I stayed with him. I’m fairly convinced he was drunk or stoned or both, but he asked it. I found myself feeling badly for him, and telling him I waited years, but he was far too late then. He asked me to stay with him, to not go home. I nearly laughed at the thought but realized he was serious. I’ll always have a soft spot for Mark, him being my first love and all, but there’s no way I’m gonna walk back into that disaster.

It’s been a few more years since then. I hear he found a lady he is quite fond of, and together, they have a beautiful little girl. While I’ll always wonder about him and even care for him if I saw him, I’d certainly be his friend, but I’d bet its safe to say I got over that drama a long time ago, and I’m glad he’s found himself a good place in life.

I’d agree that first loves last forever, but maybe not quite as love. I’ll never forget Mark, or how it felt at that young young age to be head over heels for him, but if I saw him today, I know it wouldn’t be the same.

This one is actually pretty easy. I’ve blogged before… and each time I do I spend countless hours stewing over what I want to call the blog. I often lean towards generic names and try to be creative with a thesaurus because there are already over 10 million blogs out there. Previously I’ve titled my blogs as such:

AltohoicMom – The first go at serious blogging about World of Warcraft. I originally thought I’d like to blog personally as well on the same site, but eventually dropped the idea.

AltoholicsRUs – The second go at WoW blogging, which proved to be far more successful than the first. I dropped the personal side, and I became self hosted… and then I got hacked.

Love @ Home – While doing Altoholics I made this blog for personal blogging which I attempted to share with my hubby, it didn’t stick, so I let it go.

Misery Loves Company – Attempt to get deep down and personal… ended up feeling entirely TOO personal.

Misplaced Sanity – Same as above, I was going to collect all the posts and start over, but ended up being afraid of posting the personal stuff.

The One With Reality – Named in the style of the “Friends” series…. “The One With…” I started this one, but in the end didn’t like the name. I also wanted to try out blogger, which I didn’t find all that awesome either…

Which of course leads us to now. When I made this blog I didn’t have a clear intention of what I wanted to write about… I just wanted to write. And since my personality is one full of flaws which include a serious lack in an ability to make a decision, and also the lack of sticking to what I start, I figured a vague title which allowed me to go in any direction was desired. Often times when I’m asked how I’m doing and what have I been up to, I’ll reply with “Oh ya know, just this, that, and stuff”. I decided “such” sounded better than “stuff” and thus, the title was born.

Of course I could have called it “Who Knows What You’ll Find Here” and it’d likely be just as popular. So there you have it… the story behind the name.

Like this:

Hello World! My name is Andrea Anderson. I am a 27 year old mother of two; Hayden, who is 8 and Lillie who is 4. I am married to Garen, who currently is off serving on the USCGC Mackinaw stationed out of Cheboygan, Michigan. I am currently living in Milwaukee Wisconsin… but that’s a long involved story with entirely too many dull details to explain at the moment. I am in school, through the University of Phoenix Online, going for an Associates of the Arts in Information Technology/Visual Communications. Additionally, I am employed with Best Buy as part of the Geek Squad. Good stuff, I assure you.

So…. 15 interesting facts about me? I’m not sure I’m quite that interesting… but lets give it a shot.

1. I managed the first 100 percent score on the Alaska State GED in the Reading and Essay portions of the test. I don’t know how I managed to write an entire essay by hand with a pen about a quilt without making any spelling or grammar errors, but I did! They threw me a party and everything. Sarah Palin was there too… the only thing missing… was me. I did not attend my own graduation. I was getting my hair dyed. Yup. I’m awesome.

2. I am 27 years old and two years ago I found out I had Basal Cell Carcinoma. I also have precancerous of another type of skin cancer, but no melanoma. Whew. Though every single time I see a doctor, they always declare I’m far too young. Who would make this stuff up? Anyways, last time I was checked I got an all clear, so at least that mess is done with. If you’re gonna deal with cancer, skin cancer is the one to get, I’d say.

4. The first poem I ever wrote was about a book called “Libby on Wednesday“. I don’t remember the book, or the poem I wrote, but I got first place in a contest for it.

5. I have plans to get a tattoo someday, but I’m terrified of needles. I haven’t figured out how I am going to overcome this fear, but I am dead set I’ll get this tattoo.

6. I’ve been teaching myself to knit. I learned from videos on YouTube. I am not very great at it, but I get by.

7. I have had entirely too many surgeries, and too many stitches. The most recent was a relocation of a nerve in my left elbow, resulting in 8 staples, actually.

8. I’ve had a fully natural birth and an emergency C-Section. I will not be having any more kids but I wonder what the middle of those two is like?

9. I grew up as a navy brat and then married a coastie. Although all 27 years of my life have been as a dependent of the military, I never left the west coast until 2009…. and only made it to the Great Lakes. However, I have visited Florida, but that’s it for the East Coast, and I’ve never left the country.

10. Why yes, my hair is naturally curly… but no, I am not a red-head. I have no idea where people get that impression.

11. My mother in law used to say that I’d giggle a certain way right before I was about to say something vulgar or wildly inappropriate.

13. Although my sisters and brother and even my mother all show artistic and musical ability, I haven’t a shred of it myself without the use of technology.

14. My family holds season tickets to the Green Bay Packers. Apparently, this gives you coolness points when you live in Wisconsin

15. I’m a terrible homemaker. I can’t even keep houseplants alive… I loathe dishes, and oh man I really should clean off my desk… but I’ll happily vacuum the floor all day long. Dunno why, but I love my Dyson.

So there ya have it, 15 borderline entertaining facts about me. Now it’s you’re turn.